by Julie Morgan
A slight blush colored her neck and touched her cheeks. She grinned a coy smile and lowered her gaze to the floor. “Maybe,” she whispered. “We’ll see where we are after tonight, okay?”
She looked up and had a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, and I knew groveling—as well as her naked body—would be in my future. And I couldn’t wait to get started.
“Sounds perfect,” I told her. Movement across the room caught my attention, and when I looked up, it was the mayor of Dallas. “Give me a minute, would you? I’m being summoned. Are you okay to mingle alone?”
She nibbled on her lip for a moment and looked to her left and then her right. She squared her shoulders and gave a curt nod. “I’ll be fine.”
“That’s my girl,” I whispered and feathered a kiss on her cheek, just next to her ear.
“Mr. Newstrom,” she said and held on to my arm. “If we’re to be associates at work, it wouldn’t be wise to kiss me so openly.”
I grinned, and while I was still next to her ear, I cupped my mouth around it and whispered, “If I wanted to be open with you in front of everyone, my lips would be on your body and not your cheek.”
I could feel Ainsley shiver at my words as my breath fanned across her ear.
I leaned back and raised my brow. I met her gaze, and her face flushed with a new level of arousal. I hoped the growing erection in my pants would not give me away when I left her side, but a good adjustment wouldn’t warrant any second glances.
“You drive me crazy, woman,” I told her with a wink.
She giggled and took a sip of her champagne. “I do what I can.”
I grinned and kissed the top of her hand and then let her go as I made my way toward the mayor.
The man was tall, clean-shaven, and had a head full of silver hair. His tuxedo was topped off with a red bowtie. He smiled and held out his right hand.
I took it with a firm shake. “Mayor Martin,” I said.
“Mr. Newstrom, it’s been a while. Are you ready to switch sides yet and fight for the justice of our victims?”
I chuckled and let his hand go. “No, sir. I’ll continue to fight for the true victims.”
The district attorney approached with a smirk. He was tall and slender in build, which only drew more attention to his long, polka-dotted tie. It was an odd ensemble, but so was the DA. He was quite a character and enjoyed telling the occasional joke. He’d told me once that enemies could be brought together when a chuckle could be shared.
“Chase,” he started and held his hand out.
I took it. “Brian.” After we shook, the DA shoved his hand into his pants pockets. “Are you looking to switch sides? The election isn’t up yet, and I have no plans on leaving my spot.”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, you’re good. No worries there. How’s your wife, Amelia?”
“She’s fine. Thanks for asking.”
“Well, if it isn’t a few of my favorite men!”
I heard the shrill of a familiar voice and gritted my teeth. The three of us turned to find Patricia headed our direction. A part of me was relieved she hadn’t targeted Ainsley, but the other part was now on guard for whatever poison she planned to release into the wild tonight.
“Patricia,” the mayor said and pulled her in for a hug. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard your name. How’re things going?”
“Good, Mayor Martin.”
“Please, just James,” he said.
She nodded and turned to Brian. She pulled him in for a hug and kissed his cheek, leaving a red splotch. He met my gaze, and I smiled and held my champagne glass up for a cheer. I didn’t plan to tell him there was lipstick on his cheek.
“And that leaves me with Chase,” she said with a rude tone. She placed her hands on her hips and lifted a brow. “Are you still fucking your intern?”
“Excuse me?” I asked and bit back the rage that threatened to explode.
“That’s a large accusation there,” the mayor said in a lowered tone. “And I would suggest this isn’t the setting for language like that.”
“Oh, no problem, sir,” Patricia started, “but the woman who has been interning for him was found riding him pretty hard. I mean, if she wants to fuck her way to the top, who am I to stop her?”
“I’m sorry, but did I just hear you right?” said a voice behind me.
My heart skipped a beat when I turned to find Ainsley on a quick approach.
“Shit,” I whispered.
Patricia crossed her arms over her chest and held her chin high. “Yes, you did. I mean, I never had to sleep my way to the top, but you do you, honey.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. How the fuck can this be happening? I ran my hand through my styled hair and looked at the mayor. “I’m so sorry, sir. Please excuse us. We’ll be going now.”
“No, you don’t need to leave,” the mayor said. He turned to Patricia. “You, Patricia, can see yourself out. We don’t need someone like you polluting our environment with your hatred.”
She held her hands up in mock surrender. “I was only saying, Mayor, that if you want people like Ainsley Speire representing victims and criminals while fucking them at the same time, who am I to stop you?”
Ainsley shook her head.
I couldn’t even imagine the rage she felt at this moment.
“You’re unbelievable,” Ainsley told her. “You walked in on an innocent situation and twisted it for your own amusement. How is it possible that you’ve ever won a case?”
That caught me by surprise. Even the mayor and DA chuckled.
Ainsley did a double-take at the DA and pointed to his cheek. “You might want to get that off. There’s a bit of skank on your cheek.”
I laughed and then coughed to cover it.
Patricia huffed, her face growing redder the longer she stood with us. “Well, everyone knows Chase sleeps with anything with a fucking hole.”
“I slept with you,” I whispered.
“Me too, though it was a long time ago, before I was married,” the DA announced.
We all looked to the mayor, and he held his hands up. “Hell no. I wouldn’t touch that.”
Patricia growled and started toward Ainsley.
I stepped in front of my lady and shook my head. “Don’t you even think about it. You had a lot of nerve showing up unannounced at my home, and now you’re accusing Ainsley of sleeping with her boss? You realize that is slander, right?”
She huffed once more and opened her mouth to say something, when Ainsley tugged at my arm. I stepped to the side as she stepped around me. She was now the predator, and Patricia was her prey. Even the mayor and DA took a step back in her presence.
“Right,” Ainsley started. “And you’re now jealous he didn’t want to sleep with you once he realized you were simply after his money. He even walked in on you with his best friend.” She shook her head and clucked her tongue. “But hey, that’s none of my business.” Ainsley then took a sip of her champagne.
Patricia’s mouth hung open in shocked horror. No one had ever talked to her this way, as far as I knew. Her hands fisted by her sides.
I slid my arm around Ainsley’s waist. “Well, if there’s nothing else,” I offered and tugged Ainsley into my side. “You were told to leave.” Like Ainsley, I took a sip of my champagne.
Patricia looked to the mayor and then to the DA. Neither man would meet her eyes. She growled, turned around with a scream, and stalked out of our range. The DA reached up with a napkin and began to wipe at his cheek. He shook his head with a chuckle.
“I have never witnessed anything quite like that before. Don’t let her get away,” he said and motioned to Ainsley.
I smiled. “I don’t plan on it. By the way, she just passed the bar.”
“Congratulations,” the DA told her. “If you ever want to come play for the other team, my door will always be open.”
“Thank you, sir. That’s quite generous.”
He shook her hand and made his exit.
“Well, I guess that was our entertainment for the evening,” the mayor said. He shook my hand once more and then offered his hand to Ainsley. She took it and smiled. “I’m sorry about all that, and congratulations.”
She waved it off. “Don’t worry about it, and thank you.” Ainsley sipped her champagne and then set the empty glass on a silver tray as a waiter walked by.
Someone tapped the microphone in the room, and our attention turned to the stage. The master of ceremonies was about to give a speech.
I looked at Ainsley and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Are you all right?”
She nodded with a smile. “Perfect. I need to get used to dealing with people like Patricia.”
I smiled and ran a gentle finger over her cheek. “Good, I’m glad. Because if you’re going to continue to work for me, we need to lay some ground rules.”
Something naughty glinted in her eyes as she spoke. “I want my corner office to have an amazing view of the city.”
I raised my brows. “Woman, you must first pay your dues to get a view like that.”
She shrugged. “Then I’ll move into your office, and you can figure out where to go.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I need to go make my speech here shortly. Don’t do anything reckless.” I tilted her head up slightly and smiled.
“If you kiss me in front of everyone, it’ll be a scandal,” she teased.
“I don’t care who knows,” I said and slanted my lips over hers. My chest ached from the beating of my heart. My blood rushed through my body and heated me in places that should be reserved for later. I held her in my arms for a long moment, and she whimpered against my mouth. When I released her from the kiss, I pressed my forehead to hers.
“I’m falling in love with you, Ainsley Speire.”
“Will Chase Newstrom please come join me on stage?” the emcee announced.
I feathered a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be right back.” I met her gaze. Her eyes were damp with tears, but her smile could have warmed my heart for the rest of my days.
Chapter Nineteen
Ainsley
I’d never believed a woman could be swept off her feet, but Chase just managed to do it to me. My knees felt weak when he told me he was falling in love. Hell, I’d already fallen. He took the steps toward the stage, shook the emcee’s hand, and then turned to the microphone.
Chase was meant for this. He came alive up on the stage. His eyes lit up, and he smiled as he talked. He explained why we were here today and talked about the charity. His words came as naturally to him as breaths did. I couldn’t help but smile at the man on stage.
My man.
My Chase.
“When I was younger, I went on a date with a girl I knew in high school,” he spoke into the microphone. “I think I was seventeen. I already knew I wanted to be a lawyer, but I wasn’t quite sure what part of the law I wanted to study. When I went on the date with this girl, she was a year younger than me. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to be, which was probably ninety percent of my graduating class.”
The audience chuckled in appreciation and understanding.
I thought back to my high school days. I always knew I wanted to be an attorney.
“After our date, I took her home and wished her good night. The next day, while I was in class, the police came in and escorted me out. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios.”
Chase began to count on his fingers.
“My father died. My mother was in the hospital. Something had happened to my brother. But no. It wasn’t anything like that.” He paused for a moment and met my gaze. I smiled, and he held his gaze for just a moment, and then he winked at me. “They were there for me.”
There was a subtle gasp across the audience. Chase kept his private life private. So why share now?
“I had been accused of raping the girl I went on that date with.”
More gasps. I took another glass of champagne from a waiter who was passing by and sipped it.
There was murmuring through the audience, and a few looked my way.
I smiled and motioned for their attention to be on Chase. I knew the truth and wholeheartedly believed him.
“I was arrested and brought to a juvenile detention center. My mom hired an attorney to fight for me, but it wasn’t until later that the DA learned the girl had made up her story.”
I glanced over to the district attorney of Dallas and found him smiling up at Chase. I returned my attention to the beautiful man on stage as he continued his speech.
“Like my last case with Lance Vanderbilt. One simple rumor can ruin a person’s entire future. And this was why I decided to become a defense attorney. To help those who need help. I’ll do that now by donating all fees received from the Vanderbilt case to tonight’s fundraiser.”
The audience clapped again, followed by a few hoots and hollers.
My eyes filled with tears, and my heart swelled with more love than I thought possible. He wanted to do so much for so many others, and they would never know who it came from. Chase Newstrom was so much more of a man than anyone else I had ever met.
And I loved him.
I smiled at the affirmation, and a part of me wanted to jump up and down and scream it to the skies that I loved Chase Newstrom. Although if I did, I would look like a lunatic, so said screaming would have to wait for tonight.
After the applause died down, Chase continued his speech. “I’ll have everyone here know I won the Vanderbilt case because of the hard work of a very special woman. Miss Ainsley Speire joined my team just after she took her bar exam. And I’ll have you know she passed!”
More applause sounded, and my cheeks got so hot, I thought I would combust in flames. The few who were standing by us when he kissed me turned in my direction. There was a good chance they’d also heard the conversation with Patricia, but I honestly didn’t care. Let them think what they wanted. I loved Chase Newstrom, and if I wasn’t mistaken, he essentially confessed his love for me tonight as well.
“You know, she was so pissed off at me during the trial, she got into my best Scotch and drank the entire contents.”
“Oh, hell,” I whispered and held my hand over my eyes. “Please, no. Just no.”
“She wrote me the ugliest note, telling me to basically go eff…erm, go screw myself.”
The audience members chuckled, and I peeked at him through my fingers.
“She also said a few choice things of a different nature that I’ll leave to your imagination.”
A few whistles and catcalls sounded, and I had never wanted a room to open up and swallow me whole more desperately than right now.
“Get ’er,” someone yelled out.
Chase held his hand up and shook a single finger. “It’s not like that, but I have to say, the woman opened my eyes that day. It was then that working with Ainsley became a game-changer. She helped me win that case. And throughout our time together, I have managed to fall in love with her—the one woman who was able to melt my ice-cold heart. The world better get ready for Ainsley Speire. She’s going to be one hell of an attorney.” He pointed to the DA with a grin. “You’d better be ready for the fight of your life!”
“Bring it!” the DA yelled with a smile.
Chase brought the mic up once more. Lord, was he going to wrap up soon? Hell, no more secrets or information about me, please.
“Even though I’m not involved with cases of battered women and children, that would never stop me and my firm from donating to this amazing foundation. Thank you for being here tonight, enjoy yourselves, and let your wallets flow freely!”
The audience clapped for Chase as he exited the stage, and a few hands reached to shake his.
I stood off to the side and allowed him to have his moment. He was a brilliant man, but maybe someone should write his speeches for him.
He pushed through the crowd and came back to my side with a larger-than-life smile on his lips. I could have melted int
o him, right there, with the way he looked at me. He was everything, and right now I was his world.
“Now everyone knows I belong to you, baby,” he said just to me.
“You had nothing to prove up there,” I told him and slipped my arms around his neck.
“I know, but I wanted the world to know my heart belonged to you and you alone.”
His words melted me even more.
“The world, huh?”
He nodded and rested his forehead against mine. “I want to take you home and make love to your sweet body and do things to you I’ve been dying to try.”
“Oh, I’m curious. What do you have in mind?”
He grinned. “Curious kitten, my speech is over and my check has been delivered. We can go whenever you’d like.”
My pussy clenched with need, and I wanted more than anything to feel Chase between my legs, pushing himself deep inside, claiming me as his.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m kinda hungry. I wanted to meet a few more of the city officials, you know, really get my name out there as this kick-ass attorney.”
He grinned, and it was so beautiful. I wanted to frame this moment in my memory forever.
“I should begin introducing you as Criminal Attorney Miss Ainsley Speire.”
I loved the sound of that. I smiled so hard, it hurt my cheeks. “Whoever said I wanted to be a criminal attorney?”
His brows rose. “You did?”
The look of questionable integrity caused me to laugh. He looked scared and also confused at the same time. “Oh, stop. I’d love for you to introduce me that way.”
He grinned and then waggled his brows. “So, shall we leave, then?”
I nodded. “Yes, let’s get out of here.”
In the darkness of his limo, Chase managed to get me onto his lap. I straddled his hips and cupped his face, our lips fighting for dominance as our tongues wrestled in a rhythmic dance of seduction. The partition window was up, separating us from Andrew.
“I need to be inside you, woman,” he whispered.
“Then move my panties and touch me,” I told him.
Chase didn’t hesitate. He moved his hand down between us, and I lifted just enough to give him access to my delicates that separated me from his body… Well, his pants. He was still dressed. So only one of us would be having fun at the moment.